BLOG 280—Water, Water Everywhere

“KITTING AROUND”
BLOG 280—Water, Water Everywhere
Don’t sleepwalk through life.   
I hope to illuminate your Life with my Words.
The Wanderings of Kit (Do you wander or wonder?)
I WANT TO INSPIRE YOU TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY OR BETTER!         

*** This blog looks best when viewed on a laptop or desktop computer.
*** The joy I experience in life is a wondrous thing!
*** I was hit by two trucks, but I remain happy.
*** Going through a 37-day coma–Yikes!
*** I want to help you to get the most out of life before you die.
*** If you read this through Facebook, see kitsummers.com/blog
*** I lived in my van for six years, visited all US national parks, and met Beth.
*** Beth and I married on 2/22/22 at 2:22.
*** Thanks, Beth, for editing and adding to each weekly blog.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** You will find secrets to unfold and good news!
*** What are you passionate about? 

BE TAKEN AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

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WHY I WRITE THIS BLOG
You will have many in your life who assist and teach; I am helping to guide you. Coaches like me wish to lighten your path toward excellence. It is up to you to generate your journey toward merit. I’m not trying to show you “the way”; I am trying to help you find “your way.” Writing this blog each week is new and different for me—I love it!     

I WANT TO INSPIRE YOU WITH MY WORDS –
WORDS HAVE POWER!
Are you accomplishing what you want before your eventual death?
You can (and should) make changes to improve your life–at any age.
Start today, and you can build the life you desire.

YOU ALREADY KNOW
You already know much about what I write, and I want to remind you of these ideas and show that my views can provide additional thoughts, along with yours, to help you.

MY EXPERIENCES
Much of what I write about is taken from my experiences.
I have gone through much.
I hope to spread ideas so that you can live a better life.
Remember, only you know what is best for you.
     

EVEN IF YOU START LATE,
ARE UNCERTAIN OR DIFFERENT ––
YOU CAN STILL FIND SUCCESS!
Don’t forget–you are only as young
as the last time you changed your mind!

HAVE FUN!
Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive, and always reach for more advancement

VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED TO MAKE A GREAT LIFE! 

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TOPIC FOR THIS WEEK — Water, Water Everywhere
      
LIFE
Water is life. “EVERY” living thing requires water to grow, reproduce, and stay healthy. The human body is made up of nearly two-thirds water. Water helps the body perform all its functions, such as breathing, growing, digesting food, juggling, and moving.
   
DRINK UP!    
Drinking water is like washing out your insides. It cleanses the system, fills you up, decreases your caloric load, and improves the function of all your tissues. Drinking water is essential to a healthy lifestyle.

A DRINKING PROBLEM?
YES, I have a drinking problem. Sometimes, I miss my mouth, and the water dribbles down my shirt. There are other kinds of drinking problems; I hope you don’t have the bad kind.
   
WATER INTAKE
Drinking water daily is crucial and becomes even more critical as you age. Adults over 60, for example, are at increased risk of dehydration due to natural drops in thirst and body composition changes. While everyone’s hydration requirements differ depending on their health factors, they recommend consuming about 50-68 ounces (6 to 9 cups) of water daily.
   

These are Multnomah Falls near Portland, Oregon.
Yes, I have been there a couple of times.

DIET COKE?
When I was in my twenties, I drank two or three cans of Diet Coke each day. I read up on it and discovered that this drink was awful for me. Since then, no drop of soda has ever gone down my throat. Find out what is bad for you and stay away from it. I hope you also resist the draw of sugary drinks like soda.
 
TWO BIG CUPS!
No more Diet Coke; I drink two big cups of green tea daily, sweetened with a little pure maple syrup. This is healthy for me and provides the hydration I need. Nutritionists found that green tea rehydrates, as water does, and it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers. Tea leaves are a rich source of flavonoids, a class of naturally occurring plant mixes that function as antioxidants.
 
GREEN TEA?
Green tea is packed full of health-promoting compounds. Regularly drinking green tea can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of several diseases–including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Drinking three to five cups of green tea daily will help with health benefits.
   
FAST? (how quick?)
I did not eat for a week, a few times, and only drank green tea. This cleared me out, and I felt great. Have you ever fasted (not eaten) for a length of time? Try it for a few days or a week, and it will change your thoughts about eating.
   
I NEED WATER!
Dehydration can occur when we must remember to drink the recommended amount of liquid daily. It occurs when our body loses more water than it takes in. Variations in the balance of electrolytes in the body, especially alterations in sodium and potassium concentrations, can accompany dehydration, which is something you don’t want.
 
DRINKING FROM A LAKE
In the old days, when things were cleaner, I loved to drink water from a flowing creek or stream. Somehow, it tastes better, natural and all. Something strange started when I was at Crater Lake in Oregon. With the clean water, I liked to dive down about six feet and drink some water. I’ve only been able to do this in a couple of other lakes that were clean enough.
   
YOU ARE WATER!
Did you know your blood is mainly composed of water? When you don’t drink enough,  your body knows, and it becomes concentrated, which can cause an imbalance of vital minerals that are key to the correct functioning of your heart. Controlling heart rate and blood pressure is essential because your circulatory system constantly supplies oxygen and nutrients to your body’s organs.
   
ANYTIME
Whether you are a juggler, competitive athlete, or office worker, achieving the proper fluid balance has a decisive influence on your well-being and daily performance. Dehydration can slow circulation and affect the oxygen flow to the brain. The body uses water to eliminate toxins and waste products that are not needed.
   
DRINK OFTEN
Drink often for your health. Lack of fluid intake can make your heart work harder to pump oxygen throughout your body. All that expended energy can make you feel tired, sluggish, and less focused. Along with green tea, I drink lite beer or wine.
   
DEHYDRATE?
In addition, when approaching a state of dehydration, the body decreases muscle performance, which causes tiredness. Drinking water is essential for your body to function properly all day and throughout all your activities.
 
SWEAT?
When your temperature is too high and environmental conditions don’t help to reduce body heat, you sweat, and evaporation regulates your body temperature. The sweat that evaporates has a cooling effect on our bodies. Drinking plenty of water will help you produce sweat when needed, which will cool your body when required.
 
PROBLEMS?
Your body needs water to digest food properly. If you don’t drink enough water throughout the day, you may experience irregular bowel movements, gas, bloating, heartburn, and other discomforts that can affect your quality of life. Drinking after a meal helps the body break down and process food so that you can absorb nutrients.
   
CLEANS YOU OUT
Drinking adequate amounts of water daily can help dilute the concentration of minerals and reduce the likelihood of stones. Water also helps flush harmful bacteria from the bladder while preventing urinary tract infections.
     
SO—DRINK UP!—IT’S GOOD FOR YOU

YES, YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO FIND YOUR SUCCESS!
THINK  — AND THEN THINK AGAIN.
WHAT NEW STORIES ARE YOU READY TO WRITE? 

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WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! 

Inspirational quotes and sayings have a unique ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thoughts. They are attractive, challenging, and essential on our path to joy and happiness and finding ways to inspire ourselves and others.
 
THE BURST!
Inspirational quotes and ideas give us a quick and timely burst of wisdom to regain our focus, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion. I hope the words below bring a smile to your face and drive you to make this day and every day a fantastic event.
   
BE POSITIVE!
Just as positive words can make someone smile, and a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your thoughts react to the world in real-time. You have this control! You have complete control over only one thing in the universe—YOUR THINKING!—and that’s where motivational quotes come in!
   
“YOU”
How you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible, determines everything in your life, and it all derives from your quality of thinking. Use quotes to move ahead in your life.
 
SELF-TALK IS SO ESSENTIAL—THINK RIGHT!
To stay motivated, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve and get closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it! Motivational words, yes, are just words. But they are positive words; they will keep you on track.
 
QUOTES WILL BENEFIT YOU!
Positive and inspiring quotes can be like beams of sunshine on a cloudy day. They inject optimism into our thoughts, brighten our mood, and help us focus on the good in life. They remind us that even in the face of adversity, we can see the silver lining and embrace a positive attitude.
   
PEARLS OF WISDOM
In a world filled with challenges and indecisiveness, the power of inspirational quotes cannot be exaggerated. These pearls of wisdom uniquely uplift our spirits, can spark positive change, and fuel our motivation often when we need it most.
   
I HOPE THE FOLLOWING WORDS ADD TO YOUR LIFE >>
1–“Water is the driving force of all nature.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
   
2–“Water can flow,
      or it can crash.
      Be water, my friend.”
— Bruce Lee
   
3–“Water is life, and clean water means health.”
—Audrey Hepburn
   
4–“Empty your mind,
      be formless,
      shapeless – like water.”
— Bruce Lee
 
5–“The body is purified by water.
      Ego by tears.
      Intellect is purified by knowledge.
      And the soul is purified with love.”
— Ali ibn Abi Talib
   
6–“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.”
— Bruce Lee
   
7–“If there is Magic on this planet,
      it is contained in water.”
— Loren Eiseley
   
8–“Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.”
— Lao Tzu
   
9–“Love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle.”
— Crystal Middlemas
   
10–“If cloudy water settles, it will become clear.
If you let your upset mind settle,
your course will also become clear.”
— Buddha
   
11-“Writing is magic,
as much the water of life as any other creative art.
The water is free.
So drink.
Drink and be filled up.”
— Stephen King
 
12–“The idea is that flowing water never goes stale, so just keep on flowing.”
— Bruce Lee
   
13–“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love. There is a spring in the depths with all the water your heart is thirsty for.”
— Rumi
   
14–“In the abundance of water – the fool is thirsty.”
Bob Marley
   
15–“It doesn’t matter if the glass is half-empty or half-full.
All that matters is that you are the one pouring the water.”
— Mark Cuban

YOU IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR THINKING,
YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE’S DIFFERENTIA—SOMETIMES INSTANTLY!
COMPOSE A NOBLE BOOK AND WRITE A BEST-SELLER.
YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!
   
YOU CAN TURN THINGS AROUND FAST AND ACHIEVE YOUR
WILDEST DREAMS NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE! 

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MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>
Each week goes by so quickly, don’t you think?
It seems like time is going by faster and faster.
You must live joyfully, daily, for each day!
   
Do you know what you did last Monday?
Do you remember what you ate for dinner last Thursday?
Keep track of your doings for a few weeks; you will see your time differently.
Remember, the quality of your life depends on what you do each day.
   
7/6–This week, I will start limiting my food intake. I am drinking a lot of green tea. You must think about every bite you take, everything that will pass your lips. This is important for a better life.
   
7/7–I went to Tires Plus to have an alignment check. I had paid for a lifetime alignment for my van. They found over one thousand dollars in repairs they say are needed.
   
When I returned home, I could not find my computer—yikes! I called and left it at Tires Plus. I seldom make mistakes like this; I must be more careful.
   
As you will read below, on 7/11, I completed all the work on my van for under a hundred bucks.
   
Today, my friend Phyllis sent the following words about my last blog. NICE WORDS!
Author: Phyllis Lynch
https://www.zillow.com/profile/PhyllisLynch

“This was an AMAZING blog!!! Loved EVERYTHIIINNNNGGG about it!! TIME is a thief, and although I work most of my waking hours, I have learned to enjoy my family to the nth degree every chance I get and make HUGE attempts (or which I usually do succeed) to spend time together OFTEN. So glad that you and Beth connected!! I love the simplicity you have found in life and your love for nature, animals, home-grown veggies, etc.  Thanks for this blog! I love to save and read them when I have a nice clear brain so I can digest every word. Thanks, my friend, for the positive inspiration you always share!!! Have a wonderful week!”
     
7/8–Hmm, now what did I do on this Tuesday?
Better yet, what did you do on this day?
   
7/9–Today, I received these words via email about my book, Your Brain >>
“We are pleased to inform you that your book is one of the 53 titles that passed the in-house screening process of Writers’ Branding. We shall strive to play a special role in encouraging the free exchange of ideas and developing an economically vibrant approach to making yourself known as the potential of the next best-selling author.”

So great to receive these words. They have over ten million readers, so my books should take off! How exciting is that?
   
7/10–I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
This is a recipe I came up with some time ago.
Make some; you will love the taste.
A few of the ingredients have been tweaked a bit.

Chocolate chip cookies
Three sticks butter
One and 1/2 cups sugar
One and 1/2 cups brown sugar
Two tablespoons Kahlua
One tablespoons vanilla
Four eggs
6 cups flour
Two teaspoons of baking soda
One teaspoon salt
325 for 15 minutes
Please let me know how they turn out.
 
7/11–Attention to van day! I had an 8 a.m. appointment at Walmart for an oil change (they have the best price), so I went off. Recently, I learned at Tires Plus that I needed front brakes. So, next was El Amigo Tires for new front brakes. The cost for the brakes and installation was about a hundred bucks, a fantastic price to keep me on the road. 

How fabulous for a great price on front brakes. Yes, I will be rolling right. I have new brakes and an oil change. I feel fantastic about my van. Within a month or so, I will be off to see my daughters, Jasmine and April, near Lititz, PA. Do you live anywhere between SC and East PA? Let me know. I would love to stop by and visit you.
   
7/12–Finishing the lawn mowing was first. Although you know that I would prefer to have no lawn and just grow edible vegetables, I do put the grass clippings on each compost pile to hold water and eventually turn them into compost.
   
A Mexican luch, again. I could eat that for every meal, and it turned out great. Then, there is always the cleaning up of the kitchen, which is an ongoing project. We do keep a nice house, I must say.
   
Today, I made a batch of my Summers’ Salsa. It turned out as good as usual.
Have you made some yet?
You must!
Here is the recipe >>
How to make Summers’ Salsa:
Use one can of corn
One can of black beans (or a can of mixed beans)
One can of sliced peaches or three fresh peaches
One bunch of coriander (also known as cilantro)
One a 20-centimeter (8 inches) square of Roma tomatoes (same as plum tomatoes)
One large onion
One lemon
One lime
Four cloves of garlic, minced
Chili powder–one spoon
Garlic salt–one spoon
Organic Maple Syrup–two spoons
One or more jalapeno peppers (depending on the heat level you desire)

Use a food processor to chop up the tomatoes into small bits, about 1 or 2 centimeters (quarter-inch squares).  Peel the outside of the onion, cut it into quarters, and put these in the food processor; chop so that they are about the same size as the tomatoes.  Drain the can of peaches and put them into the food processor. Chop the same size as the tomatoes and add to the bowl. Drain the cans of corn and beans, and then add them to the bowl.   Hand chop the coriander into small bits (about the same size as tomatoes) and add this.  Squeeze the juice of the lemon and the lime into the bowl, and add some pulp if desired.  Add the chili powder, garlic salt, and Maple Syrup.  In the food processor, chop one or more Jalapeno peppers into very tiny bits and then add them.  Mix all of these ingredients together well and enjoy your fresh salsa.

For a spicy salsa, leave out the honey and peaches, add more jalapeno, and add habanero peppers for the desired heat.   

DO SOMETHING NEW–DAILY!
THEN, KEEP DOING IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!

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THE GARDEN THIS WEEK
A self-supportive life can be a better life.
A garden would be a part of that life.
You must look into it.

My garden needs more tending to.
This week, I will have to focus on the garden.
And how is your garden growing?
   
There was some good rain this week, and my plants welcomed that. Because I built the above-ground gardens, we do not have many weeds growing because they cannot reach the level of the dirt. Have you ever built any gardens like I have?
     
People often say I have a Green Thumb.
Yes, I do gardening, and I am good at that.
     
The heat has come down on us, and the plants are withering, which is sad to see. I water thoroughly each morning so I know they get enough H2O. Hmm, do I have a green thumb?
   
Yet, no need to rush me, your green-thumbed friend, to the doctor — the expression simply means that I am excellent at growing plants. The term was first recorded in the Ironwood Daily Globe as “horticultural slang” in 1937.
     
I am bothered when people put their grass clippings out for the trash. This is the perfect ingredient for compost. Also, fresh-cut grass should always be placed in your garden around growing plants. It will hold water for the plants, keep weeds out, and eventually become compost for garden growth.
   
Things are starting to mature and become edible. We are enjoying lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, and tomatoes. The red vegetable will be a bumper crop (whoever thought of the word bumper to mean many, hmm.) Did you know? Tomatoes are botanically defined as fruits because they form from a flower and contain seeds. Still, they’re most often utilized in cooking as vegetables.
 
I look out my office window, where I do most of my typing and blog work. All I see is nature, the garden, growing things, and wildlife. What a lovely view every time I am on my computer. 

START YOUR GARDEN TODAY!
IT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR YOUR LIFE! 

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YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK >>
Keep track of how much liquid (water) you drink this week.
Mark is down.
Are you getting enough?
Can you get too much? 

ALL OUR LIFE, WE MUST CHALLENGE OURSELVES! 

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NEXT BLOG >>
Are you a leader?
Or a follower?
In the next blog, you will learn the benefits of being the leader that you are. 

AND WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING FOR YOUR UPCOMING WEEK?